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Monday, April 15, 2013

International Barbie Girl

WHY are we still doing the "Barbie Thing" in 2013? Aren't we better than this? When my daughters constantly ask if they are pretty enough, or worry if they have beautiful this or that I can't help but blame the plastic dolls my girls have worshiped since birth. I don't buy them for my kids, and I have tried to discourage other family from gifting them to us. I think the dolls are sexist and permeate the stereotype that women are pretty first and use their brains second. Yeah, yeah, we have Doctor Barbie, Astronaut Barbie and ________ Barbie, but I have yet to see any little girls play with them in that role. The minute She opens up Barbie's box, the Dr. Coat comes off and a princess dress goes on. Because Barbie is still Barbie no matter what she is wearing.

Last week, I read a few articles about the newly released Mexico Barbie, and the upset she's causing in the Hispanic community, as she is holding a chihuahua in one arm and legal documents in the other.
In Barbie's defense, the rest of the dolls in this new international line will all come with a pet from their native country and travel documents... but because the line has not been completely released, I figured I would throw some ideas out to the doll designers, since I would like to see my heritage represented in this line.

Ukraine Barbie Comes with a pet rat and bonus bottle of Stoli! Documents included: Visa and receipt of mail order bride purchase.

Scotland Barbie Comes with a pet sheep, desecrated English flag and no papers whatsoever.

Danish Barbie Comes with a great Dane. Documents included: Framed picture of H.C. Anderson and European Union papers (with noted documentation that she has never stopped in Germany)

I believe that if we're going to get stereotypical, we should at least have some fun with it.
Where would your Barbie be from? What would she come with?

I agree. I have tried to stop with the princess crap in my house, but it just seems to be everywhere. The new thing the girls do is "claim" princesses or characters when they watch movies and TV. It drives me nuts because someone always has to be the prettiest and someone always has to be the..well..Drives me nuts.

mexican barbie should come with a green card and a tamale cart. ahahah. no but really, i think the outrage was because some journalist made a joke that was taken out of context. i could care less for barbies though, and relieved that luna rather stick to boy toys like her big brother :)

Mines would be Puerto Rican Barbie. She'd be dressed like a hoe with red hair and sneakers that say Puerto Rico on them. In her hand a welfare access card and red lipstick. Oh! And her name is Vilmary.

How about 'Merica Barbie? She comes with an EBT card. Or we could reperesent individual states! Southern Utah Barbie has collectible sister wives, Barbie Appalachia comes with bonus incest mutations. BUT, they all have giant boobs and those trademark perfect Barbie faces.